1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to photography and, more particularly, to a modular photographic system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Early cameras were comparatively large, yet quite simple, devices constructed of brass-reinforced hard woods and leather bellows. Because of the prevalence of large photographic plates and small apertures, the tolerances they demanded could be easily satisfied by craftsmen using hand fabrication techniques. However, this situation changed rapidly with the development of fast roll films and larger aperture lenses. Suddenly, smaller cameras became possible. This reduction in camera size created a new potential market -- the amateur photographer. The influence of the amateur in camera design was immediate; cameras now had to be convenient, reliable and inexpensive. Coupled with the ever present need for good optical and technical quality pictures, these new demands transformed the forgiving box camera into a miniature highly complex instrument that had to be built with extremely precise tolerances. Fabrication by hand soon became prohibitively expensive. To keep the prices at a reasonable level, camera manufacturers responded by turning their attention to the development of mass production capability using high speed assembly machinery. Providing such high speed assembly machinery, however, is relatively expensive and does add to the camera cost even, when its cost can be distributed over a large production output. In addition, such machinery itself is inherently complex requiring a considerable design and development effort which must ultimately be coordinated with the camera design. Other problems associated with such machinery include its maintenance, repair and replacement. There are also subtle labor inefficiencies connected with such production machinery. It takes longer to fixture parts and assemble them than it would if they could be assembled just by hand. The setup time involved in mounting parts on and off production machinery can obviously be significant. Scrap losses as a result of improper assembly can also have a significant impact on final prices.
These problems become intensified as camera complexity increases. This is especially true of the most contemporary cameras. These are very complex and should, in fact, be characterized as photographic systems because of all the tasks they are called upon to perform. Their designers must display a great deal of imagination and technical ability if they hope to create a successful product that can compete in todays market. Todays design, therefore, must not only satisfy the technical requirements but must also account for and deal with the related manufacturing problems similar to those previously discussed.
The present invention deals with the problems associated with the manufacture of the modern photographic system in a most direct way. In effect, it substantially eliminates the need for assembly machinery and conventional fasteners while still meeting the high tolerance requirements demanded of the modern photographic system. Unlike the prior art it can be assembled into final form with virtually no tools.